1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a shower and shave preparation which comprises amphoteric and anionic surfactants.
2. Discussion of Background Information
The daily hygiene routines for many consumers of both sexes include showering and, for men, shaving their beards. However, shaving certain areas of the body, such as, e.g., legs and armpits, is widespread among female consumers and increasingly among male consumers as well.
Commercially available shower preparations, such as shower gel, shower emulsions or shower oils are generally used for showering. For shaving, if it is a wet shave, foamable or self-foaming soaps, gels or foams are used to prepare for the shaving process with the razor blade.
Since many consumers shave in combination with showering before or afterwards, for them it would be a great advantage to have a product available that supports both processes equally. However, if a shower product according to the prior art is used for shaving, one realizes that this process is very uncomfortable. The quantity of the foam and in particular the stability of the foam is not adequate to be able to distribute it over the shaving area and for it to remain there through the end of shaving. The consistency of the foam is not compact enough either to exert a damping effect on the razor; moreover, the foam also tends to flow away quickly. If the razor is drawn over the shaving area, one feels an inadequate gliding, which leads to unpleasant tugging and in extreme cases to cuts.
If a shaving product is used for showering, it is noticeable that it is hard to distribute over the entire body due to the compact foam. Since such products are usually formed on a soap basis, their tolerability is much worse than that of normal shower gels, the acid-base balance of the skin is disturbed. This can burn unpleasantly and itch in particular in the area of the mucous membranes or lead to redness or even to the formation of erythemas. Another disadvantage is that it is difficult to rinse off the skin.
Shower gels with good foaming properties are known. Thus, for example, DE 102005033663, the entire disclosure whereof is incorporated by reference herein, discloses cosmetic cleansing preparations comprising anionic sulfuric acid esters, an amphoteric surfactant, ethoxylated glycerol fatty acid esters with 3 to 12 EO units, wherein the content of ethoxylated glycerol fatty acid esters is higher than 1.2%, and the content of surfactants is in total lower than 16 wt. %, wherein ethoxylated glycerol fatty acid esters with 3 to 12 EO units are also to be counted as surfactants. These are shower gels that comprise at a low total surfactant concentration a higher proportion of amphoteric surfactants than of anionic surfactants and thus are particularly mild. However, for a good shaving process, foams of this type lack a certain adhesive strength, furthermore, products of this type do not exhibit gliding properties suitable for shaving.
The prior art therefore lacks preparations that combine the advantages of a shower gel with those of a shaving product without exhibiting its disadvantages.
It was surprisingly found that a cosmetic cleansing and shaving preparation with a surfactant system of amphoteric surfactant and anionic surfactant and a ratio of amphoteric to anionic surfactant of greater than about 1 remedies the disadvantages of the prior art and is extremely suitable as the basis for a shower and shave product.